Annealing-box



H. T. McBRATNEY.

ANNEALING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4. 1920.

1,376,448. Patented May 3, 1921.

FIEJI- UNITED lsTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

'HARRY T. MCBRATNEY, or TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNOR'frO VALLEYHOLDING CORPORATION, or BRAOKENRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA-v TION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

ANNEALING-BOX.

Patented May 3, l1921.

Application led November 4, 1920. Serial No. 421,669.

To all fui/m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY TfMoBRATNEY, of .Tarentum, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and usefulInvention lin Annealing- Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to annealing boxes and consists in a sheet metalbody adapted to remain rigid under the high temperatures to which suchboxes are subjected.

These temperatures are such that no practical construction is ruggedenough to have long life. But even for a single use the box must berigid enough not to collapse. The object of my invention is tol providethe requisite rigidity without incurring the expensive constructionattendant upon castiron boxes or heavy structural boxes, the cost ofwhich is a continuously recurring charge.

Another object is to construct a box which will heat readily and whenthe heating is completed, will not unduly impede heat radiation from thecontents of the box.

These objects are attained bythe construction shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure l is a top viewl of my box; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical 'section through the box and Fig. 3 is vatransverse vertical section through the box.

The box base l may be of cast iron, rolled steel or be otherwise formed.It is provided with a continuous trough 2 adjacent its perimeter forsealing purposes. The bo-x sides and ends 3 are of sheet steel havingtheir upper edges flanged at 4 and their adjacent edges welded toprovide tight joints.

The bOxtOp is a rectangular sheet 5 fitting over the anges 4 and weldedthereto. As the lower edges of sides and ends 3 fit in seal trough 2,the box, when assembled, and trough 2 filled with sand 0r other suitablematerial, is gas tight. l

To prevent collapse of the box .top and to facilitate heat absorptionand radiation, I apply members 6 of long, rectangular sheets bentlongitudinally to V-shape and provided with flanges 7 for welding orriveting to top 5. Members extend the full width of the box and-formwith top 5 a plurality of box girders which eliminate any tendency ofthe top to sag when heated. As members 6 are open at their ends theypermit free circulation therethrough of heated gases when the box is inthe anneal- Ing furnace, and of air when the box is outside of thefurnace.

This construction avoids the use of heavy castlng or structuralreinforcing members with. the attending disadvantages and its cost isrelatively small so that its scrapping after a number of annealings doesnot add materially to the cost of the plates being annealed or othervproduct.

Obviously, the side and endwalls may be similarly reinforced andvariations in the shape of the reinforcing members and othermodications' in the box construction may be made without departure fromthe spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A sheet metal annealing box reinforced by hollowV-shapedstitfeners ofsheet metal.

2. In an annealin box, a wall of sheet metal and hollow stiener membersofnsheet metal extending across s aid wall and having open ends.

3. An annealing box comprising a bottom having a perimetric recess,sheet metal side and end walls adapted to seat in said recess and havingtheir adjacent edges welded toand between their ends, I

gether, a top supported on said walls and end to provide f-reecirculation of gas or air l therethrough. i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day ofNovember, 1920.

- HARRY T. MCBRATNEY.

